Mexican Revolution

[has.been]

Not sure if this is the right place to put this as it is the 1910 Revolution,
but this seems the best place.

Episode at Cassa Herrero
Mexico 1910. Tensions are running high and Revolution is in the air.   
At the tiny village of Cassa Herrero (Smith House) a patrol of Federales,
Under the control of Teniente Oeste Enterrar (Lt. West Bury) & Sargento
Corriente (Sgt. Stream  {i.e.Brook}) have apprehended a well known
Subversive, one Jaime Para Descanso (James Forrest) who is believed
To be converting vehicles into armoured cars. Not wanting to waste
The Judiciary’s time…the Teniente ordered the Sargento to put him
Up against the nearest wall.
 
The local rebel leader, though no lover of Haston Villa, Paquete Plano
(Flat Pack) has quickly gathered some partisans and headed into the
Village.
Also entering  Cassa  Herrero was the local bandit chief, Maestro De
Dados (Dice Master) protected by some ‘loyal’ followers. Following
the proverb, ‘The enemy of MY enemy is my friend’ he intends to
support the rebels against the law enforcing Federales.
Late to the ‘party’ were a few Gringos, killers from North of the border.
Led by the meanest S.O.B. Killer Cunningham, known to the locals as,
‘Astuto Jamon’ (Cunning Ham). Their  pockets  full of Government gold,
with  the  promise of more based on results.
All that is now required is for each player to write down which period they
start aggressive action (can always duck down/run away/hide) period 1,2,or 3.

The Gringos opted for period 3 while all the rest chose period 1. The game is on!
The townsfolk are gathering, or sleeping
meanwhile the firing squad is preparing.
46, 47 & 55 = The firing squad prepare.

[has.been]

We start with the fort, it was where the Gringos slept, or is that 'overslept'
Pictures of said Gringos. I think the Federales Teniente was not impressed
with the value for money they showed. Still they were happy & they all
survived without a scratch between them.
 
They would no doubt claim that they sent the Rebels running & engaged in
a firefight the length of Main St. (that was not up & down Main St, but from
either end of it)
 

[has.been]

Now to the Bandits.
They were so quiet sneaking into the Town that, until they opened fire,
the locals had no idea they were...'behind you!'
Most even slept on.

The Boss led his men safely from the rear!

[has.been]

The Revolutionaries came rushing into the town...
and then, almost as quickly rushed off again.
WHY 
Well...
We were playing under my homebrew rules Embuscada.
The Teniente gave the order for the firing squad to shoot.
Six of them let fly, but being novices they got only one dice each.
The defender/target (Jaime) who was standing up in the open also got just one dice.
Shooter dice scores higher than the target's = a (possible hit)
Jaime's throw meant half the squad completely missed. The remaining three
threw to see what their 'hits' effect was. Two= target must dive/duck down/or
seek cover within half a move. One (the best???) = Target MUST move away from danger.
Jaime...ran for it.
Despite another volley (shots whistling around his head) the federales couldn't bring him down.
He ran, & they ran after him.
 
He ran headlong into the insurrectionists. At that point they decided they had achieved
exactly what they wanted to, & headed back out of town.
 

[has.been]

This was the first in what, hopefully, will be a (loose) campaign.
Games will be hosted at different gamers' houses. The host to
set up scenery & scenario, also to choose the rules.

I had included some tweaks to the basic rules.
1) Shouted orders would reduce the cost of troops doing an action.
     (Under Embuscada player throws 2xD6 = how many points he can spend.
      Hostile actions e.g. shoot/melee/advance have to be paid for. Veterans =half a point,
      Averages = one point & Novices = two points)
      so... by way of an example, Officer shouts, 'Fire!' at the Squad & each one that does
      costs half a point instead of the normal 2 pts each.
2) If the locals have a reason to be 'incensed' (umpire's decision) the Revolutionary
    player can activate them for half a point each. When activated they could throw stones,
    or melee with a knife. This was to be a big nuisance for the federales...

BUT as Jaime got clean away & the Revolutionaries headed out of town...
       I decided there was nothing to incense the crowd.
 
'No plan survives contact with the enemy' to that I would add,
'No rule survives contact with this lot of gamers'
 

[Dubar]

Nice figures and landscape!!!  I've been playing with Canvas Eagles WWI air combat lately but need to get back to the wild west for a while.

[fred]

Good looking, and crazy sounding game!

Perhaps the defender needs to save for each shot, not a single roll for all of them!

[has.been]

Perhaps the defender needs to save for each shot, not a single roll for all of them

Normally that is what we do, but for this game I wanted a quick Firing Squad.
How were we to know that with TWELVE shots at an easy target they would fail to put him down?!
The Federales continued firing at him during the pursuit & each of those shots were diced against.
In total the Soldatas fired twenty-two times at Jaime. Failing to down him even once!
They will all be arrested for... 
breaking the law of Averages.
 

[flatpack]

I ran the revolutionaries.
We heard the government forces had raised a firing squad.

We moved into town, to see if we could help.

There were some pesky money chasing Americans that gave us a little trouble.

We held our ground, and gave as good as we got, using the stone walls as cover.

Next thing we know, the victim of the firing squad escaped, and came running towards us.

“Get over this wall” we shouted.

It was then time to head to the hills, with the firing squad survivor.
We live to fight the revolution another day.
Fun game. Cheers Has.been for putting it on.

[vodkafan]

Great pictures from both of you!

[Golgotha]

Great write-up, great minis and terrain, great game - very well done Has Been very jealous...

[has.been]

Great write-up, great minis and terrain, great game - very well done Has Been very jealous...

Come the longer days & nicer weather it will be worth the long schlep for you to come & play.

[Tom Dulski]

some great looking buildings and old fort in those pics. Are those home made?

[Westbury]

Seeing as the the Federales (the legitimate upholders of law and order  ) didn't warrant a write up by the obviously biased gamemaster  here is the real story of what happened.
Assembling for the well deserved execution of the notorious deceiver Jaimie, the squad let fly with such pre planned accuracy that not a single shot hit and he fled the scene leading us straight to the cowardly revolutionaries who hadn't the stomach for a real fight. All further shots in the pursuit were carefully placed to make it seem like we were trying to kill him but no, it was all part of a cunning plan 
Those brave soldiers detached to protect the rear under the command of brave Sgt Corriente did a sterling job of laying down there lives in the face of a murderous attack by local bandits and a rabid dog - no real dogs were hurt in the making of this wargame.
As to the efficiency of the gringo gunmen, a veil should be drawn over their contribution and I have written to the Colonel asking for their contract to be cancelled.
The Teniente   

[has.been]

some great looking buildings and old fort in those pics. Are those home made?

Most of them are scratch built, not by me, but a good friend Andy Taylor. He used wall cork
tiles, as 'they are thicker than the floor ones'. Being cork, i.e. wood, they are held together
well by wood glue. I can attest to their robustness as he made them over thirty years ago.